WhatsApp spam has affected 95% of users, survey finds

Spam messages have creeped into Whatsapp with 95% users getting unsolicited messages regardless of their registration on the do-not-disturb or DND list, according to a survey by Localcircles based on 57,000 responses from citizens located in 373 districts of the country.

“The survey finds that not only the menace of spam SMS is continuing unabated with 68% mobile subscribers surveyed reporting receiving 4 or more spam or promotional messages each day. Now, the mobile phone user, most of who also use Whatsapp have another menace to deal with “spam or promotional Whatsapp messages,” said Sachin Taparia, founder of LocalCircles.

The survey noted that 32% of the respondents admitted receiving 1-3 such messages, 36% have been receiving 4-7 messages and 32% an average of 8 or more unwanted messages.

“95% of Whatsapp users surveyed confirmed getting them while every mobile subscriber surveyed got spam SMS regardless of their DND list registration,” it added.

Of more than 11,000 responses on the question on spam received on Whatsapp, only 5% out of 11,326 shared that they are not being troubled on this platform. Of the remaining, 44% are receiving 1-3 messages on Whatsapp, 29% have been receiving 4-7 messages on a daily basis and 22% an average of 8 or more messages, the survey’s findings showed. In effect, 51% of the citizens are receiving 4 or more promotional or spam messages on their Whatsapp despite the provision to report spam or block numbers. The latest survey shows that spam messages on Whatsapp platform are fast catching up with SMS, it noted.

LocalCircles did a previous survey in 2021, where 95% of 35,000 mobile subscribers surveyed were continuing to get spam and promotional SMSes and 73% were getting 4 or more unwanted SMS on a daily basis. The research firm said that it decided to do another survey since citizens from across the country continued to report the menace of spam SMS and over the last 12 months, lots of citizen complaints were received regarding spam Whatsapp messages now.

The survey also found that the spammers were the same, since financial services, real estate services and pathology services were the top categories of spam confirmed by subscribers both on SMS as well as Whatsapp.

Despite clear norms laid by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on unsolicited communication, consumers are still facing unwanted calls, SMS (Short Messaging Services) and Whatsapp messages from vendors, telemarketers, banks, insurance brokers, car dealers, pathology labs, property and other investment agents among others.

“While TRAI can’t do much to address Whatsapp spam, 77% mobile subscribers want it to work with telcos and enable a Report Spam feature within the SMS as the current reporting mechanisms aren’t found to be user friendly,” the survey noted.

It added that there was need for strong action to be taken against spammers once people report them. Further, the regulator, telcos and platforms like Whatsapp must work together to drastically reduce this menace, it said.